Means for cleansing tubes



Feb. 18, 1941. E. A. BAERER MEANS FOR CLEANSING TUBES Filed March 27, 1940 1 N VE N TOR. iy elwdfiaeraz;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UN lT-ED STATES PATENT F F 1 (IE FOR .CLEANSINGTUBES Eugene A. Baerer, Ridgefield, N. J. Application March127, 1940, Serial No.;3Z 6,144

2 Claims. (01. 15-10420) This invention relates to means for cleansing and discharge head of such character that the tubes; and the invention-has reference, more former maybe quickly detachedf-rom the latter particularly, to novel means for cleansing and for replacement when worn. flushing the internal wall surfaces of the tubes Other objects of this invention, not at this 5 of steam condensers and similar apparatus. time moreparticularly enumerated, will be under- 5 During-the use and operation of condenser apstoodfrom the following detailed description of paratus of the surface condenser type, wherein the same.

cold water is passed through a multiplicity of An illustrative embodiment of this invention tubes into contact with the external surfaces of is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which is passed the steam or like vapors to be which: I 10 condensed, the circulated water frequently mm Fig. 1 is-a fragmentary sectional View of a portains algae and otherforeign matter which :tends tion of a schematically illustr condenser pto deposit upon and adhere to the internal sur- 4 paratus through a tube of which the novel cleansfaces of the tubes so as, in time, to greatly 'dingmeans of this invention is oper y pa the heat transfer efficiency of the tubes. Fig..2:i s .an enlarged ',side elevation of the oper- 15 As a consequence of this'it is necessary, order ativezend' portion of the tube cleaning means: of to maintain the condenser apparatus at best hi inv n; P e 3 is a m n ry l n uworking efficiency, to remove and cleanse such dinal sectional view thereof taken on line 3-3 in deposits from the internal wall surfaces of the F sand :Fig. 4 15a tra sv se se o al V w,

tubes. It is therefore an object of this invention taken on line 4-4 in Fig.3. 20 to provide novel means whereby such cleansing S m a C c r o "r er n a e p y operations may be effected in a rapid and in the hereinabove described views, to indicate thorough manner, so as to quickly detach from corresponding parts. the tube surfaces the adhering deposits and then The novel tube cleaning means, in one illusflush the same away and out of the 'tubeinteriors. trative form thereof as] Comprises a d 25 Another object of this invention is to provide charge head ill 'of cylindrical external shape, and a novel tube cleansing and flushing means which o a i m er d 0 P t the Same snugly comprises a cleansing water discharge head, fit but ea ily Slide through or of a tube which is carried on asupply pipe which also serves desired to :be cleaned. Said discharge head is 3- 1 as a manipulating handle means for moving said provided with an internal chamber l I closed by a discharge head through atube to 'becleaned, with forward end wall l2 'butopen at its rearward end. which is combined, in advance thereof, a helical Formed in the rearwardly open end of said disscraper brush adapted not only to exercise a oharge headrisan internally screw threaded socket scraping effect upon the tube-walls but also to B into which is screwed the forward end of a provide a spirally baflled cleansing water disrig d Water supp y'p p This pp y p p ill charge passage through which water discharged isao-f *a'ileng't eXceeding the length of the Con- -from the discharge head at suitable pressure is denser tubes to becleaned, and not only serves to compelled to flow against the tube walls with a supplywaterto the discharge'head H! for emission swirling flushing action, to therebyquickly carry therefrom, but also as a handle means by which 40": onward and out of the tube being cleaned the the cleansing device may be manipulated for foreign material dislodged from the tube walls passing the same through a'tube to be cleaned by the scraping action of the brush. and thereafter withdrawing the same therefrom.

The invention has foranother object 'to-provi'de To th'e rearward end of said combined supply pipe in the discharge head, of the above mentioned and handle means 14 is connected,by any suitable MST-head and spiral scraping brush combination, 'a form of. coupling :means. IS, a flexible conduit i5 plurality of angularly directed cleansing. water through which waterunder pressure is delivered discharge vents which are disposed at a pitch fromfa'zsuitable source of supply. Adjustably more or less corresponding to the curve direction affixed upon the rearward end portion of said and pitch of the outgoing spiral passage formed combined supply pipe and handle means [4 is a by the helical scraper brush, whereby a spirally flanged stop collar I1, which, by abutment against 50 swirling flushing stream is projected against the the entrance end of the tube being cleaned, suittube walls and caused to flow rapidly through said ably limits the forward operative movement of outgoing passage formed by the brush. the discharge head In, and its associated brush Another object of this invention is to provide to be presently described, through the tube being an operative coupled relation of scraping brush cleaned. 55

Integrally formed in connection with the forward closed end of the discharge head I0 is an axial extension or hub I 8 of substantially reduced diameter,'the same being provided with an outwardly open socket I9 aligned with the longitudinal axis of the discharge head.

The scraper brush element of the device comprises a helical row of comparatively stiff wire bristles 20 which radiate from a twisted wire core 21 in which the same are bound, thus providing intermediate the bristle formed helices a free spiral passage. The brush thus formed is of suitable length, such length preferably being from two to four times the length of the discharge head I0. Iihe butt end 22 of the wire core of said brush is inserted in the socket I9 of the extension or hub I8, and detachably affixed thereto by a set screw 23 or other suitable fastening means, thus attaching the brush in forwardly projecting and axially aligned relation to the discharge head Ill. The diameter of the brush thus provided is sized to be somewhat in excess of the internal diameter of a tube to be cleaned, whereby when the brush is moved through the tube bore, the extremities of the bristles 20 will scrapingly engage the tube wall surfaces so as to efficiently engage and detach therefrom any deposited foreign-material adherent thereto. The helical row of bristles 20 is of comparatively long pitch, and consequently the outgoing spiral passage intermediate the bristle helices is sufficiently wide to provide a clearance and water flow passage of generous cross-sectional dimension.

Provided in the end wall I2 of the discharge head II] to lead outwardly therethrough from the internal chamber II are a plurality of outwardly inclined, circumferentially spaced and angularly directed discharge vents 24. The angular disposition of said discharge vents conforms more or less to the pitch angle ofthe spiral passage intermediate the helices of the row of brush bristles 20, so that the cleansing water discharged therefrom will be both directed against the tube Wall surfaces as well as for desired swirling outflow through said spiral passage of the brush.

In the use of the novel cleansing means, the discharge head ID with the leading brush element is introduced into one end of the tube to be cleaned, while cleansing water, under substantial pressure (a pressure of eighty pounds more or less having been found very satisfactory) is supplied through the combined supply pipe and handle means I4. By manipulation of the supply pipe and handle means I4, the discharge head and P brush is advanced through the tube interior,

whereby the brush bristles will scrapingly move along the tube wall surfaces so as to dislodge therefrom the deposited material adherent thereto, while the rapidly moving swirling stream of cleansing water discharged from the head Will flush said walls, and will catch up in its flow'the dislodged material so as to carry the latter onward and thus wash the same out and away through the opposite end of the tube.

It will be obvious that the helical row of brush bristles provide a spiral baflle which so deflects the stream of cleansing water as to continue its swirling flow (as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2) throughout the length of the brush, while nevertheless, since the intermediate spiral passage is uninterruptedly continuous and freely open outwardly from the brush extremity, assuring that free outward flowing movement of the cleansing Water stream is not impeded.

By provision of the stop collar II on the supply pipe and handle means I4, the movement of the head and leading brush through the tube interior may be automatically arrested just before escape thereof from the opposite end of the tube, and consequently withdrawing movement of the device back through the tube, unimpeded by possible catching of the head on the tube end which would be likely if the head had been permitted to be exteriorly projected therefrom, is also assured.

From the above it will be understood that a very simple, easily manipulatable and highly efficient tube cleansing means is provided. I am aware that some changes could be made in the cleansing device, and therefore I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangement and construction of the devices and parts thereof as hereinabove described and as shown in the drawing, said description and showing being intended to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A tube cleansing means comprising, a hollow discharge head, a rigid combined cleansing fluid supply pipe andhandle means afiixed to and communicating with said discharge head in axial rearward extension therefrom, a brush element formed by a helical row of comparatively stiff wire bristles aflixed to an axial core for radial extension therefrom, means to connect said brush core to said discharge head so as to dispose said brush element in axially aligned forwardly pro- J'ecting extension from said discharge head, said helical row of bristles defining a laterally and endwise open spiral passage about the brush axis, and said discharge head having fluid vent means at its forward end adapted to discharge cleansing fluid into and for outward flow through said spiral passage.

2. A tube cleansing means comprising, a hollow discharge head, a rigid combined cleansing fluid supply pipe and handle means affixed to and communicating with said discharge head in axial rearward extension therefrom, a brush element formed by a helical row of comparatively stiff wire bristles aflixed to an axial core for radial extension therefrom, means to connect said brush core to said discharge head so as to dispose said brush element in axially aligned forwardly projecting extension from said discharge head, said helical row of bristles defining a laterally and endwise open spiral passage about the brush axis, and said discharge head having a plurality of outwardly and laterally inclined, circumferentially Spaced fluid discharge vents adapted to angularly discharge cleansing fluid for outward movement through said spiral brush passage in swirling and flushing contact with the walls of a tube being cleaned.

EUGENE A. BAERER. 

